GEOL111-16SU1 (C) Summer Jan 2016 start

Planet Earth: An Introduction to Geology

15 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 11 January 2016
End Date: Sunday, 14 February 2016
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Sunday, 17 January 2016
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Sunday, 31 January 2016

Description

A general introduction to the study of the dynamic Earth and its geology, including Earth structure and plate tectonics, volcanic activity, crystal processes and the nature of minerals and rocks.

This summer course is aimed at College of Science and College of Engineering students of any major, who have completed one year of study and are now intending to major in Geology in the College of Science. Students will also have passed either GEOL112 or GEOL113 in semester 2. It is designed to allow students to cover all of the major topics of the GEOL111 course in order to progress through to 200-level geology with all the required knowledge.  It will consist of an intensive two week course, with a morning lecture and an afternoon lab to introduce geology as a subject.

The lecture component will cover such topics as the Earth and its interior, an introduction to plate tectonics, igneous processes and volcanoes, sedimentary processes in marine, river and glacial environments, metamorphic processes and economic geology.  

The practical component will give hands on experience into minerals and rocks by way of hand specimens, how they relate to the topics discussed within the lectures and the significance of outcrop relationships in terms of geological history.

The summer course will run every weekday for 3 weeks shortly before the term starts (11th to 29th January).  Students are required to attend all lectures and labs during this time.  The following three weeks will be a period of revision and reading, and will include 2 tutorials during this time.  The examination component will occur at the end of the course.

Learning Outcomes

  • Goal of the Course

    To provide a general introduction to the Earth, with an emphasis on processes and rocks found at and near the Earth’s surface. Comparison will be made with the Moon, other planets and their moons.

    Learning Outcomes

    Students successfully completing this course should:
  • Gain a general knowledge of the composition, structure and geological processes of planet Earth.
  • Understand the framework of plate tectonics
  • Appreciate the extent of geological time
  • Have a basic understanding of geological processes and their products.
  • Know the general classification of igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks
  • Examine geological samples, identify them accurately and draw simple geological inferences

Restrictions

ENCI271

Course Coordinator

Paul Ashwell

Lecturers

Catherine Reid and Kate Pedley

Assessment

Assessment Due Date Percentage  Description
On line practical assessment 10% On line practical assessment (9 quizzes, to be completed each day
Field trip 10% Field trip
Practical test 40% Practical test (date to be confirmed)
Final examination 40% Final examination

Textbooks / Resources

Required Texts

Marshak, Stephen; Earth : portrait of a planet ; 4th ed; W. W. Norton, 2012.

Recommended Reading

Bishop, A. C. et al; Cambridge guide to minerals, rocks and fossils ; Rev. and expanded ed; Cambridge University Press, 1999.

Kearey, P; The new Penguin dictionary of geology ; 2nd ed; Penguin, 2001.

* Portrait of a Planet, 4th edition (available from University Bookshop and also a reco0mmended text for GEOL112)
*Guide to Minerals, Rocks and Fossils (available from University Bookshop and a useful reference for 100 level and those continuing on in geology)
*The Penguin Dictionary of Geology (available from University Bookshop and a useful reference for all geology students)

Notes

Lectures:
1 Morning lecture each day (1 hour, depending on content) – plus text reading time

Laboratory classes:
1 Afternoon lab per day (2.5 hours duration), plus quiz and review time
Both the lectures and labs will be held in the ground floor lab (room 101) in von Haast building (unless otherwise specified)

Tutorial:
2 Tutorials in the second and fourth week of the course (exact times TBC)

Prerequisites:
One year of study at UC in the College of Science or College of Engineering and a passing grade in either GEOL112 or GEOL113. Students who have not passed either GEOL113 or GEOL112 should speak to the Head of Department of Geological Sciences.

This course is not intended for mid-year starting students who have only completed on semester of study.

Restrictions – GEOL111-S1

Class size – the class is restricted to 30 students in total in order to be successfully delivered in this format.

Additional Course Outline Information

Academic integrity

Summary of the Course Content
The topics coved by this course are:
• Mineral composition of the Earth; Silicate minerals; Igneous rocks and processes; Introduction to volcanoes; Volcanoes and volcanic deposits; Intrusive igneous rocks
• Sedimentary processes and rocks – general classification and features; Weathering of rocks, sediments; Mass movement; Fluvial, glacial, aeolian, coastal and oceanic sedimentary processes and the resulting sedimentary rocks.
• Metamorphism, metamorphic rocks and economic geology; Evolution of the crust and methods of dating; Mineral resources and exploration.

2015
11 January - Lecture - How the earth was formed and introduction to minerals
11 January - Laboratory - Rock forming minerals and properties

12 January - Lectures - Structure of the planet, plate tectonics, earthquakes and formation of magma
12 January - Laboratory - Igneous rocks

13 January - Volcanoes and eruption styles
13 January - Laboratory - Igneous rocks

14 January - Lecture - Sediments, weathering and mass movement
14 January - Laboratory - Sedimentary rocks

21 January - Tutorial 1

22 January - Lecture - Sedimentary processes
22 January - Laboratory - Sedimentary Rocks

23 January - Lecture - Metamorphism - Regional and burial
23 January - Laboratory - Metamorphic rocks

26 January - Lecture - Metamorphism - Contact and metasomatism
26 January - Laboratory - Metamorphic rocks

27 January - Lecture - Geology of New Zealand
27 January - Laboratory - Geological Relationships

28 January - Lecture - Economic Geology
28 January - Laboratory - Review Lab

29 January - Field Trip

1 February - Tutorial 2

3 February - Laboratory Exam

10 February - Final Exam

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $832.00

International fee $3,638.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

Limited Entry Course

Maximum enrolment is 30

For further information see School of Earth and Environment .

All GEOL111 Occurrences